Thanks to a "Rock of Ages" resurgence, season four alum Constantine Maroulis scores his 118th week on cast albums chart. Season 10 runner-up Alaina, meanwhile, can credit Carrie Underwood for her latest country hit.

Phillips by Nick Walker; Alaina by Brian Bowen Smith

‘EIGHTEEN’ AND WE LIKE IT: Lauren Alaina’s latest single is moving up the Hot Country Songs chart but the season 10 runner-up isn’t the only Idol who’s thrilled with the success of the track. “Eighteen Inches,” which breaks into the top 40 with a 41-37 rise (with a bullet) this week, was co-written by season four winner Carrie Underwood.

This isn’t the first time an Idol has had chart success with a song composed by another Idol. Fantasia’s season three coronation song, “I Believe,” was co-written by season one’s Tamyra Gray. And season five’s Ace Young collaborated with fellow season five competitor Chris Daughtry on the first hit single by the band Daughtry, “It’s Not Over.”

“I Believe” debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in July 2004 and “It’s Not Over” peaked at No. 4 in February 2007.

“Eighteen Inches” is on track to become Alaina’s biggest hit on the Hot Country Songs chart. Her first single, “Like My Mother Does,” peaked at No. 36 in October 2011. The follow-up, “Georgia Peaches,” went even higher on the survey, topping out at No. 28 in March. Well have to wait and see if the momentum of “Eighteen Inches” can propel it even further up the list.

‘ROCK’ ROLLS BACK ONTO CHART: The success of the film version of Rock of Ages continues to benefit the original Broadway cast recording, featuring vocals by season four’s Constantine Maroulis. The Broadway album returns to Billboard’s Top Cast Albums chart this week at No. 15. It is the CD’s 118th week on the chart.

Rock of Ages debuted on Top Cast Albums at No. 4 the week of June 20, 2009, just under the new cast recording of West Side Story at No. 1, Jersey Boys at No. 2 and Wicked at No. 3. After two weeks, Rock of Ages fell off the chart but returned in a big way the week of July 25, 2009, at No. 2, the CD’s peak position to date. Jersey Boys was No. 1 that week.

By the time the soundtrack album to the Tom Cruise film was released, the Broadway version had dropped off the chart again. But with the release of the movie, the cast album re-entered the survey and had a 12-week run from June 2 to Aug. 18, when it vanished once more, not returning until this week.

The Rock of Ages soundtrack debuted on The Billboard 200 album chart the week of June 23 and peaked at No. 5 two weeks later. The Broadway album peaked at No. 118 the week of July 25, 2009.

While many Idols have starred on the Great White Way, a majority of them have joined shows in progress and thus have not appeared on the original cast albums. That is true for Diana DeGarmo in Hairspray and Hair, Fantasia in The Color Purple, Clay Aiken in Monty Python’s Spamalot, Ace Young in Grease and Hair, Anthony Fedorov in The Fantasticks, Jordin Sparks in In the Heights, Tamyra Gray in Rent and Taylor Hicks in Grease.

'HOME' IS WHERE THE CHART IS: Like most American Idol winners, Phillip Phillips is having enormous sales success with his coronation song. “Home” has been certified platinum and has topped three Billboard sales charts: Hot Digital Songs, Hot Digital Tracks and Rock Digital Tracks. But Idols don’t always find airplay success, as sales do not guarantee radio spins.

“Home” isn’t having such a problem. That’s especially apparent this week, as the song makes its first appearance on two Billboard airplay charts. On the Hot 100 Airplay survey, which covers multiple radio formats, “Home” moves in at No. 75. On the Triple A chart, “Home” bows at No. 29. The Triple A chart does not measure song popularity among members of the Auto Club; the three As stand for Adult Album Alternative. The top three artists on this week’s Triple A chart are Mumford & Sons, Dave Matthews Band and John Mayer, so it’s not difficult to see how much at “Home” Phillips is on this tally.

NORTHERN EXPOSURE: Two songs that are moving down The Billboard Hot 100 are moving in the opposite direction on the Canadian Hot 100. Carrie Underwood’s “Blown Away” thunders 38-43 and Kelly Clarkson’s“Dark Side” brightens 44-40. In the U.S., “Blown Away” is down just one rung, 30-31, and “Dark Side” dims 45-50.

BITS AND PIECES: The Sparkle album, featuring vocals by Jordin Sparks, rules the Top Soundtrack Albums chart for the fourth consecutive week. The CD debuted at No. 1 the week of Aug. 18 and has remained in pole position ever since…Kelly Clarkson’s Stronger album finds new strength this week, rebounding 35-19 on The Billboard 200 album chart and re-entering the Top Internet Albums chart at No. 3…Also rebounding is Mandisa’sWhat If We Were Real, with a 13-9 jump on Top Christian Albums…Casey James’Crying on a Suitcase is his second consecutive single to break into the top 30 of the Hot Country Songs chart, up 34-30…Carrie Underwood’s Blown Away holds at No. 2 on the official U.K. Country Albums chart.